June 27th, 2017

Summer can certainly be expensive with vacations, holidays and cookouts. With that being said, it’s harder to save during this time of the year, especially in your home. Trying to not only keep your house cool but also remain up to date on the outside furniture, there is no question that expenses can escalate quickly. We’ve decided to put together some useful ideas for saving money this summer on your home!

Energy

– Replace air filters regularly. By all the dirt building up in filters, it can cause you to use up more energy while your air conditioner is running. As a recommendation, replace every three months.

– Use fans to cool a room. Air conditioning systems can use as much as 50 times more energy than ceiling fans do, which is why some people advise those looking to cool a room down and save money. However, breeze across your skin makes you feel cooler, without actually affecting the temperature in the room. That means that if you leave a ceiling fan running after you’ve left the room, you’re not achieving any benefit.

– Close blinds during the day. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, by drawing the blinds in your home, will reduce heat gain in the summer by up to 45%.

Water Costs

– Watering your yard in the morning or evening. Water evaporates quickly when the sun is high, so sprinkle when it’s more likely to stay in the soil. This will help keep your lawn extra refreshed during those hot days.

– Shorten your shower. Trimming just two minutes off your shower can save up to 1,750 gallons of water per person in your household each year. Another easy trick is to turn the water off while you soap and/or shave.

– Go to the car wash. Washing a car at home can easily use 100 gallons of water, not to mention an awful lot of time and effort; commercial car washes often use only 40 gallons or less of fresh water. Sometimes, it pays off for someone to wash your car for you.

Other Saving Ideas

– Use your windows to gain cooler air. At night while sleeping, open your windows. In the morning, shut the windows and blinds to capture the cool air. This will help your home become less warm at a cheaper price.

– End of season sales. Wait until the end of the summer season to buy patio furniture for the next upcoming year. By the end of August or early September, most businesses are getting ready for fall and the winter seasons which means most of the popular products will be at a discounted price.

– Keep hot air from leaking into your home. Sealing cracks and openings can save you more and more money. By not allowing that warm and muggy feeling into your home will help reduce the need to lower the air. If you feel you may have cracks in your windows, check out weather strips to seal air leaks around doors or windows.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can keep your cool about your electricity bills and stay comfortable throughout the scorching summer this season! We hope you found this ideas helpful and have a fun-filled summer.